Disclaimer: RAR!

Sorry for the long wait. I got a bit stuck in the middle of this chapter.

Chapter eighteen! Woot! Yes, the inevitable is happening. This is a Robin/Starfire chapter. You knew it was going to happen eventually, didn't you? I think this story seems a bit predictable. I'm not so good at RobStar, but I'll do my best. I just think they're so cute together! I couldn't resist putting this chapter. Sorry Robin is OOC, because I know he is.

I can't believe that my two-year anniversary was a few weeks ago! It doesn't seem like it's been that long. I can't believe how much I've written in two years.

Well, enjoy yet another chapter. And thanks again! (hugs reviewers) You make the writing worthwhile! 101 reviewsThat is so awesome! This has been my dream every since I started writing on fanfiction. You guys are the greatest!

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The rising sun gave the living room a faint pink glow, making everything look rosy and soft. During the day, the large metal-and-glass T was a place of hustle and bustle, action, and loud voices. Now, in the early morning, it was an entirely different world. A world of quiet and mystery and a sense of apprehension for the day that was soon to come. A kind of magical silence lingered in the air, something calm and desperate all at once. The Tower even smelled different, tasted different, felt different in the magical time before the world came to life for the day.

Robin sat in silence on the sofa, staring out the window. The sunrise colored the bay a watery pink that matched the living room. It had been a while since he had been up early enough to see the sunrise. It made him feel privileged. Lately he had been sleeping in to avoid his thoughts. Being out here now, so alone, there was no way to escape them.

Robin watched the rose-colored waters of the bay ripple in the placid morning breeze outside the large window. He gave a sigh. He felt so powerless at the moment. He knew what he should be doing right now. He should be marching right into her room-never mind what time it was, knocking on the door, looking her in the eye, and telling her the truth. But instead he was sitting here doing nothing like a little stubborn child.

Robin couldn't help but remember what Beast Boy had told him. He knew he shouldn't be afraid to love Starfire. He knew it wouldn't solve anything. But he was afraid anyway. It wasn't something he could really explain. He was afraid of letting people get too close, maybe that was it. He was tired of being afraid.

Robin made up his mind right then and there that the next time he saw Star alone, he was going to explain exactly how he felt about her. He had loved her for longer than he had ever thought it possible for feelings to last when they weren't acted upon. It was time to do something.

"I can't be afraid anymore," he told himself aloud, feeling very daring at the moment.

"Robin, you are afraid?" asked a voice from behind him. Robin nearly jumped out of his skin. He whipped around on the sofa to face the speaker, though he didn't need to look to recognize that voice.

"Starfire!" he gasped in surprise, staring at her through his mask, which was stretched on the eyes to unimaginable proportions with his shock. "What-what are you doing up?"

"I was having trouble with sleeping," she replied. "I was about to inquire the same of you."

"Oh. I was just looking at the bay," Robin said quickly.

"May I join you?" Starfire asked. Robin nodded slowly, and she moved across the room and sat down beside him. Her arm brushed his as she did so, and Robin could feel himself blushing slightly at the soft touch of her warm skin against his own. He was relieved that she couldn't see. She was looking out the window. "It is beautiful," Star said.

"Yeah," Robin agreed. He wished that he could think of what to say. He had promised himself that he was going to tell her how he really felt. "It is."

Instead of speaking, Robin let silence stretch between them, the awkwardness mounting. Robin decided that he was going to have to get it over with one way or another . Praying it wasn't going to end up as horribly as his mind had imagined it, he took several deep breaths and gathered himself.

Robin had fought countless villains, defeated countless evils, gone through more physical agony than was probably normal, dealt with more horror than any normal teenager should, and still this was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. His hands were starting to shake horribly. He didn't feel like himself at all. Robin slowly opened his mouth.

"Sta…..Starfire?" he asked in a rather strangled voice. Starfire looked at him.

"Yes?" she asked. Robin wondered how she could be so calm when he was practically exploding inside.

"I…I um…..I need to tell you something," Robin said, regaining his composure pretty well. He forced himself to look her straight in the eye.

"I am sensing that this is important?" Starfire asked.

"Very," Robin answered.

"What is it?"

"OK, it's like this….I….I….." Robin struggled to find something to say, find some way to express it. He said the first thing that came to mind. "It's like….mustard and waffles."

Starfire looked confused. "Robin?" she asked. "What do you mean?"

Robin gulped. "Well….you love waffles with mustard. Mustard and waffles are great separately, but together, they're even better, and it just seems like it's…. right." Robin was starting to feel exceptionally stupid, but he couldn't seem to make himself shut up. "When the mustard is by itself, it feels OK. But when the mustard is with the waffle…..the mustard feels great….better than it has in its life."

Starfire nodded. "Alright. I am sure that if mustard had feelings that would be how it saw things."

"Yeah. And…the mustard has realized that it loves the waffle. It was afraid for a while, but now it knows that the only way it can be truly happy is to be with the waffle. The mustard knows that it and the waffle are completely different, opposites, basically. The mustard is kind of bitter, and it doesn't really work with most foods. The waffle is sweet and everybody loves a good waffle. But…the mustard doesn't care about differences. The mustard wants to be with the waffle until the end of all eternity," Robin said.

Starfire nodded very slowly, looking puzzled. "Yes, that is very nice that the mustard feels this way. But…Friend Robin, why are we talking about food? I am feeling that it is strange to discuss the emotions of earthly condiments," she said.

Robin slapped a hand against his forehead, realizing the stupid, pointless rant about his feelings he had gone off into. Why wouldn't he control his mouth? "Crap. Star, I'm sorry. What I really meant was…I…wasn't really talking about mustard. I was talking about….me."

"You?" Starfire asked.

"Yeah. All that stuff I just said about the mustard's feelings toward the…..um….waffle…I was talking about my feelings. I guess that what I'm really trying to say is that I….I love you, Star," Robin said nervously.

Starfire looked surprised for a moment. Robin felt that his worst fears were confirmed, but then she smiled at him.

"I am very glad that you have told me this. Robin, you are my best friend," Starfire said. Robin's face fell. "But I have come to discover that for a very long time, the things I felt for you were not the normal type of emotions one is supposed to feel for a friend. It has always been much more. I care for you greatly, Robin, and I am very glad you have told me of your feelings," she said, and paused. "Because I love you too."

Robin had been wishing, hoping with every fiber of his being that she was going to say this, stretched to the breaking point with apprehension for the words she was about to say, and now that she had said it, he was almost taken aback. "Seriously?" he asked.

Starfire nodded. "I have loved you for a very long time, Robin," she said, smiling. Robin could feel a ridiculous grin spreading over his face. "And I wish to be with you, too."

Robin was pretty sure his face was going to fall off. He could not recall ever smiling like this before. "Wow Star," he said, still surprised. "I never really thought you….wow." Starfire was smiling back, and the comfortable silence reigned for a moment as they stared wordlessly into each other's eyes.

And then suddenly Starfire was kissing him. At first, Robin was too shocked to move. He was set so far off balance by someone being close to him: it wasn't something he was used to. Starfire was indeed close to him, she was kissing him for God's sake. This was not something he was normally comfortable with. But this was Starfire. He could make an exception for her. After a moment of hesitation, he started kissing her back. She wrapped her arms around him and he returned the embrace, completely and totally content for the first time he could remember in a very long time. All of the confusion he had been feeling lately melted away and he was left with nothing but a complete feeling of wholeness. There was nothing else in the world at the moment, only that small spot on the sofa in Titans Tower, he and Starfire were the only people in the universe for just a moment. Nothing could have pulled his lips from hers at that moment…except for a desperate need for oxygen. The inevitable happened, and two broke apart, struggling to breathe normally. Starfire was blushing slightly, and Robin realized that he was too.

"Wow," was all he could say, still holding her in his arms.

"Yes," Starfire said softly. She rested her head on his chest and there was a moment of silence.

"Star, thanks," Robin said. "For making me feel whole."

Starfire smiled and kissed his cheek. "And thank you, Robin, for letting me."

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Aww. Was that horrible? Well, I'll get the next chapter up soon. Sorry again about the long wait on this one.